Scottish Fairy Belief: A History

by Lizanne Henderson, Edward J. Cowan

Throughout Scottish history, many people believed in fairies. They were a part of everyday life, as real to people as the sunrise, and as incontrovertible as the existence of God. While fairy belief was only a fragment of a much larger complex, the implications of studying this belief tradition are potentially vast, revealing some understanding of the worldview of the people of past centuries. This book, the first modern study of the subject, examines the history and nature of fairy belief, the major themes and motifs, the demonising attack upon the tradition, and the attempted reinstatement of the reality of fairies at the end of the seventeenth century, as well as their place in ballads and in Scottish literature.

Genres: Nonfiction, Scotland, Folklore, Religion, History, Spirituality, Research

242 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2001

Reviews

[CAW · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an archaeologist and a believer that a good scientist never discounts persistently reported anomalous phenomena, the statement that [paraphrased] "we have more evidence for the activities of the fairies than we do for the Picts" makes me grin my fool head off.

Unfortunately, as an academic text you'll only be able to get hold of this from libraries or at great expense, but it is well worth the reading - any serious working text that introduces itself cautiously with [paraphrase] "We're not encouraging belief in Themselves, but..." is really rather awesome. Human characterisation of the inhuman - the wild, the uncontrollable, the spirit world - says a lot about ourselves, and in this modern era of pretty pink non-native fairies it's all the more important for such a collection and analysis to be made.

You will learn a lot from this book if you give it your time, not only about fairies but about the spirit(s) of Scotland in general. Great source material for any aspiring fantasy writers out there, too.

[Haraldohoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scottish fairies are more murderous, more primal, more savage, more fearsome and more mysterious than any fairy of England or of popular 20th and 21st century literature.

Are they nature sprites, a separate cryptic sentient species, the ghosts of ancestors, children of deities, angels cast from heaven? We cannot know, but do not disrespect them or they will fuck you over.

Gin ye ca' me imp or elf
I rede ye look weel to yourself;
Gin ye ca' me fairy,
I'll work ye muckle tarrie;
Gin guid neibour ye ca' me,
Then guid neibour I will be;
But gin ye ca' me seelie wicht,
I'll be your freend baith day and nicht.

This is a deep and entertaining academic approach by two Scottish historians into Scottish fairy beliefs, principally from pre-industrial 16th and 17th centuries (and a little flow into the 18th and 19th).

Famous texts are discussed, such as King James VI treatise on Demonology, Robert Kirk's astonishing collection of local folklore dated 1692 'The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies', Tam lin (the most detailed escape from fairyland) and Thomas Rhymer (the most detailed journey to fairyland). Many court transcripts from the 16th and 17th century are cited and quoted.

The Queen of Scottish fairies is often called NicNevin (from the Gaelic Neachneohain for daughter of the divine).

Scottish fairies are many and varied, known by such names as The Good Neighbours, Seelie Wichts, Lychnobious People, Trolls and Banshee (the truly terrifying messengers of death).

Scottish believers in fairies were caught up in the Scottish witch trials of the 16th and 17th centuries. Many with fairy associations (often local healers or seers) were tried and executed in the battle of church and monarchy to monopolize supernatural beliefs to secure their own power and legitimacy.

In bold hypocrisy James VI and his courtly elites (who supported the witch trials and executions of fairy associates and seers) promoted his legitimacy as king of all Britain as the fulfillment of the prophesy of the Arthurian legend (of course, put forward by a seer) .

This is a wonderfully and heavily sourced work. The appendix listing of two pages of Scottish witch trials is a valuable inclusion, as is the five page listing of 'Folk Motifs'. The Bibliography goes for a useful ten pages. And, each chapter is appended with several pages of notes.

And, a final joyful gem for me was to discover that Peter Pan is a Scottish Fairy.

[Geof Sage · Rating 2 out of 5]

this should have been interesting and you know what? it wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination.